Original Content Deal With Dreamworks Is Netflix's Biggest Yet

Netflix says its new deal with DreamWorks is the "largest deal for original first-run content in Netflix history" and also that it's the first time DreamWorks animation characters will hit TVs as a "branded collection of shows."

The 300 hours of content will include shows "inspired" by DreamWorks movies, presumably including titles like Shrek, as well as content from the Classic Media Library—a 2012 acquisition for DreamWorks. Unusually for a deal like this, which typically hits the U.S. first and then a limited number of overseas territories at a later date, Netflix is saying it will show all the content in "all the territories" it operates in. The new shows are expected to premiere in 2014.

Netflix has been aggressively expanding recently, and is competing strongly with Amazon for new kid-friendly content. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings also recently spoke to Fast Company to explain his future vision of TV content, and it's more about tablet experiences than traditional broadcasting.